Breech-loading fire-arm



T. BURNETT.

,BREEGH LOADING FIRE ARM.

(Modem Patented Dee. 6,1881.

INVENTOR J2 ATTORNEYS WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS BURNETT, OF EUREKA, CALIFORNIA.

BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 250,495, dated December6, 1881.

Application filed June 21, 1881.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that I, THOMAS BURNETT, ofEureka, in the county of Humboldt and State of California, have inventeda new and useful Improvement in Breech-Loading Fire-Arms, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of breechloading fire-arms in whichthe breechblock swings backward and downward.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal verticalsection of a gun embodying my improvements. Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 aredetail views.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the frame, B the barrel, 0 the swinging breech-block, and Dthe-lever, all of which may be of the usual or any suitable description,the lever and breech-block being connected by a link, 0.

The chamber of the breech is reamed or bored out, and in it is insertedmy improved cartridge-seat F, which is made in two semi-cylindricalhalves, by which construction provision is made for the expansion of theseat in case of the expansion of the cartridge when exploded, so thatthe exploded shell may be easily withdrawn.

The shellextractor consists of a ring, G, provided with two radial arms,g g. It fitsin a crotch in the breech-block U, and works on the samepivot, c, with said breech-block. The arm g works in a notch, b, in therear end of the chamber and cartridge-seat, and the arm is arranged forengagement with the lever D. When the lever D is operated to open thebreech by swinging the breech-block 0 backward and downward, the nose dof the lever strikes the arm g of the extractor and moves it forward,causing the arm g to move rearward and extract the shell. I

H represents a block working on a pivot, h, and provided with a spring,i, which has a tendency to keep its upper portion pushed forward. ,Whenthe breech is closed the top of this block rests under the rear cornerof the breech-block O and securelylocks it. The front side of the blockH is provided with a camsurface, and the portion of the lever D which iswithin the frame and in rear of the pivot a is provided withacorresponding cam-surface.

(ModeL) When the lever is moved downward to open the breech thecam-surface of the lever engages with that on the block H,'and forces itbackward and out from under the breech-block, so as to allow saidbreech-block to swing clear in the space provided for it in the frame.When the lever is moved upward to close the breech the springi pressesthe block Elforward and under the breech-block again.

The firing-pin J works in the breech-block O in the usual manner. In thetop of the frame A, between the firing-pin and the hammer N, is a groovein which works a sliding bolt, L, which is prevented from working upwardby the means of a stud, m, projecting from the grooveof the frame andengaging with a groove in the side of the bolt, and also by a hook, I,on the rear end and under side of the holtengaging with a recess in theframe under the rear end of the groove in which the bolt Works.

The top of the rear end of the bolt is provided with a roughened surfaceor thumbpiece, t, to facilitate its withdrawal.

Under the bolt is a spring, i to prevent it from working too loosely inthe groove or from accidentally dropping out rearwardly. When the boltis in place in the groove it serves to communicate the blow from thehammer to the firingpin. When it is desired to move the bolt the hammeris placed at half-cock, and then, by placing the thumb on thethumb-piece P, the bolt may be drawn back and removed from the groove.By this means theaccidental discharge of the gun is rendered impossible,as

the blow from the hammer, it accidentally lowered, would not becommunicated to the firingpm..

To the hammer N is connected the upper branch of the mainspring P, thedouble portion of which is secured to the frameA in any suitable manner.The lower branch of the mainspring is engaged with the rear end of alever, Q, the front end of which engages with the trigger B after themanner of a scar.

To the lever Q, between its fulcrum and-the trigger, is attached anelastic tongue, q, extending upward and rearward in a curved line, andterminating in a point, so as to form a cam. On one side of the hammerN, in rear of the pivot n, is a stud or projection, s, for engagementwith said tongue or cam q, as hereinafter described.

The scar T is pivoted under the hammer, and is provided with two lateralarms, 1) between which the tongue orcam g works. A spring, to, bearsagainst the underside of the rear arm, n, which is provided with aknife-edge for engagement with the cock-notch and halt cock notch of thehammer N. When the hammer is pulled back to cook the gun the stud orprojection s strikes the edge of the elastic tongue or cam q, and torcesthe lever Q down so that its front end will be engaged and held down bythe trigger B. This places the lever Q, clear of the sear, and allowsthe spring to to force the arm c upward to engage with the half-cooknotch. The parts are then in the position shown in Fig.1. As the hammeris pulled farther back the elastic tongue springs over the stud orprojection s, and the arm a slips into the cocknotch and holds the gunat full-cock. When the trigger is pulled, the lever Q, impelled by thelower branch of the mainspring P, strikes the forward arm, a, of thesear, and disen gages the rear arm, 1:, from the cock-notch, allowingthe hammer to descend. The end of the upper arm of the lever D then fitsin a notch in the breech block (3, in front of the upper'end of theblock H, and thus assists in loekin g the breechblock.

I am aware that it is not new to construct cartridge-chamberslongitudinally divided and with a movable lid to admit the cartridgesidewise; but 4 What I claim as new is-- 1. In a breech-loadingfire-arm, the combination, with a cylindrical breech-chamber, ofacartridge-seat, F, made in two semi-cylindrical parts and inserted insaid oh am her, as shown and described.

2. In a breech-loading firearm, the sear T, pivoted under the hammer,and provided with lateral arms v o, the arm 1) being knife-edged andpressed upwardly by a spring,w, in combination with the trigger, thelever having cam (1 working between said arms, the mainspring P, and thenotched hammer N, as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with the hammer and firing-pin, of the bolt L,having a side groove and sliding in a groove of frame A, of the stud M,projecting from said frame-groove, the rear hook, I, engaging witharecess under the rear end of said frame-groove, the thumb-piece Z andthe subjacent spring L as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with the swinging brechblock G, of the lever D,having the nose (1, and the ring G, having the radial arms g g, saidring being arranged on the same pivot as the breech-block and in acrotch thereof, as shown and described.

5. The lever Q, provided with the elastic tongue or cam q, incombination with the trigger R, the mainspring P, and the hammer N,provided with the stud or projection 8, substantially as and'tor thepurpose herein described.

THOMAS BURNETT.

Witnesses":

FRED. W. BELL, H. O. MORSE.

